Cozy up to cognac, craft spirits for change of pace

With the holidays underway, I’ll focus on spirits — not just any spirits but unique craft spirits from distinctive producers and made in small amounts. I will discuss gin, vodka, rum, cognac and Armagnac. These spirits reflect the places they come from, and the craft of the master distillers behind them.

With the holidays underway, I’ll focus on spirits — not just any spirits but unique craft spirits from distinctive producers and made in small amounts. I will discuss gin, vodka, rum, cognac and Armagnac. These spirits reflect the places they come from, and the craft of the master distillers behind them.

From the Journeyman Distillery in Michigan we get the lovely Billberry Black Hearts Gin ($35). Billberries are a small black berry related to huckleberries and blueberries and were referred to by author Thomas Hardy as “Black Hearts.” The wonderful flavor of these berries complements the fig, pepper and black licorice notes in this gin.

No. 3 London Dry Gin ($47) is produced in Britain by Berry Bros. & Rudd, the oldest wine merchants in England, and it is named after the address of their original store at No. 3 St. James St. This gin has the classic juniper character from Italian juniper, enhanced by citrus notes from Spanish orange peel and grapefruit peel. The addition of Angelica root, Moroccan coriander and cardamom pods bring spicy aromatic notes, which add complexity and richness. This gin makes a perfect martini, but also is brilliant with Q tonic and lime.

St. George Gin ($35) comes from California; this distillery is one of the oldest craft distillers in the U.S. dating back more than 30 years. Originally a producer of Eau de Vie or fruit brandies, they have branched out into other spirits. This gin has a potent woodsy nose derived from Douglas fir, bay laurel and California coastal sage. This gin is a whiff of forest in your glass and pairs perfectly with tonic and lemon.

Karlsson’s Gold Vodka ($35) is luscious Swedish vodka produced by master blender Borje Karlsson. Produced from seven different potato species grown in the Cape Bjare region, this vodka is distilled once and is unfiltered, leading to a vodka with intense flavor, best savored on the rocks or pre-chilled and served neat.

Domain Grateaud Bouquet des Borderies Cognac ($45) is produced from some of the best vineyard sites in the border regions of the Cognac area. This small producer gives us an intense yet balanced cognac with lovely caramel notes and a smooth finish. If you are used to drinking the big house brands in cognac then branch out and try this little gem.

Kelt XO Cognac ($150) is one of the very finest cognacs I have ever tasted, notable for the rich color and explosive aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle followed by flavors of nuts, candied fruits and cedar. This cognac is remarkably smooth and persists on the palate for minutes. Kelt has some of the oldest stores of cognac in the world with some dating back to 1842, and they blend generous amounts of older vintages into this one — the older vintages add richness and complexity, making this cognac soar.

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Castarede Armagnac 10 Year Old ($53) is from the oldest producer in Armagnac founded in 1832. Unlike much armagnac, which can be a bit rough around the edges, this is a refined and elegant style, a perfect introduction to armagnac. Always different from cognac, this is a spirit worth discovering.

Leblon Brazilian Rum ($30). Produced from the finest Brazilian sugar cane, this is a clear rum with intense flavor; it is the perfect base for any rum cocktail and is absolutely dazzling in a mojito.

Pink Pigeon Rum ($37), from the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, is named after the very rare Pink Pigeon, which is only found on that island. This rum is produced from locally grown sugar cane and flavored with local vanilla. In addition to the vanilla the rum shows lovely spice notes and is elegant to sit and sip neat or over ice. Ask Danielle about this rum, as Mauritius is her home; she was so excited when we started to carry it.

I hope you get the chance to enhance your holiday celebrations with some of these excellent beverages.